West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-06-17
HARPER's FERRY LETTER.
The Boom---Republican Paper to be
Standardization to DR.. Ranson's
Son---Hurst.
HARpER's FERRY, June IA.

Mr.. EditOr-Our business boom
continues and so does the boom of
the dynamite. You would hardly
know South Bolivar, so great a
change has been made already in
the appearance of things there.
Where there were hills three weeks
ago there are now hollows, and vice
versa. On Friday night a large
stone came from dynamite blast
all the way up hill from the old Ri
file Factory to Storer College and
struck the roof of that building,
SCATTERING several states and no
doubt rocking the students to
sleep. Mr.. Quigly, who is in charge
of the works, is said to be fine en-
gineer, and parties who are supposed
to be well versed in such matters
say that his operations already show
superior knowledge of his profes
sion. Mr.. Slavery, and others con-
nected with the enterprise, visited
the place on Saturday, and if there
be anything in appearances, it must
be said, on the whole, that we have
at last secured the presence among
us of parties who are both able and
willing to make Harper's Ferry
what Nature intended it to be, q
striving, bustling, business place.
Your reply to your recalcitrant
Fayette county subscriber and your
exposition of Free Trade and Inter
state Commerce, gave great satisfac-
ton to the people of Harper's Ferry
and the neighboring county OF Lou
doun. You may have heard of some
difficulty existing between the stock
holders of the bridge across the
Shenandoah at this place and GER
tain owners of ferry near the
bridge. The controversy between
those parties has been great draw
back to this community, and it is
hoped that your powerful voice and
pen will be enlisted in the cause of
free and uninterrupted intercourse
between our people and those of Vir-
ginia on whom we rely mostly for
the supply of our market.
A few days ago Master Briscoe,
second son of DR.. Ransom, of this
place. n lovely child and one of ex-
traordinary promise, fell headlong
from the railroad trestling on Shen-
andoah street, q distance of many
feet, but miraculously escaped with
trihing injury. Briscoe is great
favorite with every one, and he is
oar especial pet. We are happy in.
deed that he escaped so we'll, and
we hope that he will live to realize
the great things which he undoubt-
edly promises. His teacher, man
of forty years experience in his bu'
siness, says that he is the most in
tellectual child he has ever had in
charge. and if the child be father to
the man Briscoe, will certainly make
his mark.
To-day we saw 4 circular announ-
cling that in a few days Republican
newspaper would be started at this
place. 1t is always well to have
both sides of any question, and as
the other side has ever had a mo-
nopoly in the line of newspapers in
this county, we know that you at
least will welcome the stranger.
| Sheriff Hurst, it is said, had some
intimation of this ahead of anybody
at the place, and it is believed that
his late trip to Charleston was for
the purpose of arranging with Gov
Wilson for calling out the militia at
a moments notice to keep the peace
between the new editor and those OF
the opposite side in politics. We
are on the eve of many exciting
elections. and we think that Sheriff
Hurst has, in this matter, exhibited
q most commendable foresight. Next
year we will elect to every office IN
the git of the people, from the head
of the Nation to the lowest rank OF
township official, not to mention the
Prohibition issue in our State, and
it will be strange, indeed, if you edi-
tors do not make it lively for one an
other, but, as the Irishman says
'fair play and no favor, and may
the Devil take any one who would
spoil fair fight" Our worthy
Sheriff himself, at heart, loves a lit
tie shindy, and if you do not set the
whole county by the ears and com
nit actual murder or cause it to be
committed, he will be slow about IN
terfering.
Last week we promised to descant
on Bill Anderson's famous quilt, but
we deem the subject of too much I'M
portance to put at the tail end oI
any communication, and we propose
to devote whole epistle to it one
of these days. I. n.
The following programme OF eXer
| cisos for the annual commencement